Questions abound about Justice Dept. use of gov't jets

This post was updated at 3:27 p.m. ET

Congressional Republicans are raising questions about the use of government aircraft by senior Justice Department officials, including FBI Director Robert Mueller and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

Two Gulfstream jets that the FBI told Congress would be used primarily for counterterrorism efforts have been used by Holder and Mueller for business and personal reasons - to the tune of $11.4 million - according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

The GAO report states, "From fiscal years 2007 through 2011, three individuals who served as Attorney General (AG) and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accounted for 95 percent (659 out of 697 flights) of all Department of Justice (DOJ) executive nonmission flights using DOJ aircraft at a total cost of $11.4 million. Specifically, the AG and FBI Director collectively took 74 percent (490 out of 659) of all of their flights for business purposes, such as conferences, meetings, and field office visits; 24 percent (158 out of 659) for personal reasons; and 2 percent (11 out of 659) for a combination of business and personal reasons."

However, the report also notes that Attorneys General and FBI Directors "are 'required use' travelers who are required by executive branch policy to use government aircraft for all their travel, including travel for personal reasons, because of security and communications needs."

In an August 2012 letter to Mueller, Grassley, along with now-former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Tex., and GOP Reps. Lamar Smith and Frank Wolf, wrote, "We are aware that the Attorney General is required to travel by government aircraft for security purposes...We also understand that travel is an inherent and expected part of the job for any Attorney General."

However, they said, "We believe it is important to determine whether use of the FBI's aircraft by Attorney General Holder and other senior Department of Justice (DOJ) officials adheres to relevant statutes and policies, is cost effective, and does not hinder the operational readiness of the FBI."

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In a separate press release, Grassley insisted that there must be a thriftier alternative. "These luxury jets were supposedly needed for counterterrorism, but it turns out that they were used almost two-thirds of the time for jet-setting executive travel instead."

"Nobody disputes that the Attorney General and the FBI Director should have access to the secure communications, but, for instance, there's no reason they can't take a less expensive mode of transportation, or cut their personal travel."

A spokesman for the FBI, Christopher Allen, told CBSNews in a statement that the GAO report "makes clear that the overwhelming majority of travel by recent Attorneys General and the Director - although termed "non mission" travel by the report - has been for official business travel in furtherance of the Department's national security and public safety mission."

The spokesman added that the FBI's first priorities in allocating government planes are "counterterrorism and weapons of mass desctruction operations," and noted that "the GAO report confirms that the Department of Justice always adheres to these priorities in scheduling use of its aircraft."

Since July of 2001, the Attorney General has been required to use government aircraft for all travel. John Ashcroft, then atop the Justice Department, cited unspecified security threats in justifying the policy change.

[Mike239239]

You idiots on the right should have someone teach you to read and then actually read the article. The law requiring these people to fly on government jets was passed and the practice was started in 2001 by John Ashcroft. You know who he is right? He is the guy that said the government could spy on who ever they want regardless if they are American citizens or not.

[realtimecoffee]

required by executive branch policy
---
Ashcroft wasn't Congress, so it was not a law. Perhaps reading incomprehension is universal?
And whatever domestic spying he supported has been dramatically increased by the current Administration. That's the way the Dem/Rep scam works.

[easymoola]

From a distance it would appear that this administration came to town for the sole purpose of partying. More new shiney Limo's about the capital than ever before, vacations often and with a complete entourage of bff's, jets for everyone, appearances on TV, frequent concerts, golf. My my, must be nice.

[ajmg111]

We are headed toward the Nanny state with elitist spending all they can to satisfy all of their needs and none of the needs of the taxpayers. And don't say Bush did it. I am tired of finger pointing. There are no good politicians, Democratic or Republican. So cut the crap about they did it, it is their fault. That sounds like a 4th grade school yard argument. Grow up, wise up, before it is too late.

[whaas2]

The tax payers need not worry. The federal government is having to borrow the money to operate these jets for certain individules personable purposes. With a National Debt or more than 16 trillion dollars, the money that the federal government is borrowing today will cost the tax payers an estimated 10 times the ammount borrowed to repay over the next 170 years. With the sequester it will become unsafe to fly because of a decrease in federal air traffic controlers, so maybe the personal flights will stop.

[TomMariner]

Wait, you guys are complaining that this Democrat Campaign bunch masquerading as a Justice Department are taking jets out of town too much? Do me a favor and be quiet -- they can do less mischief with such a powerful law enforcement if they are out somewhere. Can we encourage them to get really good at golf?

[ggoheen-2009]

These guys are in the office way more than their leader is. Biden flies back and forth from DC to home for afternoon golf games in a 757 200. Next to a Gulfstream, that's big bucks.

[stamicrach]

This should come as a surprise to no one.

After; Holder is just another Obama/Soros puppet, and he does not care what form of corruption he practices, because he knows full well that Obama will instigate EXECUTIVE ORDERS to cover his ass.

Remember what happened when they went after Holder on Fast and Furious.?

We can expect nothing else from Obama/Soros ; no matter who does what in Washington.

[Tank_Commander]

Maybe they could have financed these flights from the 60 million we're sending to the rebels in Syria? Of course, we need some money for those teachers about to be laid off, right? http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/4-pinocchios-for-arne-duncans-false-claim-of-pink-slips-for-teachers/2013/02/27/dac86324-8115-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_blog.html